𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐄 ━ 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐓²

064. forever.

           ┗━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┛

    Iris: The Goo Goo Dolls

I shakily exhale before slowly opening my eyes. I blink a few times in order to get my vision more clearer. I now look at a ceiling before I crane my neck. I realize I'm laying on Clark's bed with an IV set up. My chest heaves up and down before I pull the needle out from the front of my hand.

I now flex my fingers and make a fist. I hold my stomach and slowly sit up, still sore from being stabbed by Goblin. I pull the covers off me before my high tops hit the floor. I sharply inhale before finding the strength to stand up.

I lose my balance, but quickly regain it as I shoot a web at his closet, using the other end of it to keep myself steady. I sniffle before I look down, realizing my ripped hoodie is not on me and neither is my ripped shirt. I'm now wearing a new white t-shirt, specifically Clark's.

The hair sticks up on the back of my neck and I break off the web before slipping it in my pocket. I then turn to his mirror and slowly walk over to it. I roll up my shirt and look at the faint scars and bruises on my stomach and sides. I slowly trail my eyes up and look at my reflection in the mirror. I then turn to see Clark standing a few feet away without a shirt.

"You okay?" Clark walks closer to me.

"Yeah, I'm okay." I rasp out. "Since when can you set up an IV?"

"I called Lee. She dressed you and then set up the IV."

"Thanks." I whisper. "Are you okay?"

"No." Clark tells me with watery eyes.

"I didn't mean to make you think I was dead. I-"

"I never thought you were dead. I just thought that you were...gone. And you had every right to leave. I've brought you nothing but pain and suffering. Ever since we met."

"That's not true, Clark, and you know it. You need to stop beating yourself up over things you can't control. You are not alone in this. And the truth is...we could all die tomorrow."

"Brianna, I died when you left." Clark looks me in the eyes. "The first and second time."

"I'm here now." I place my hand on his chest and we stare at each other before I look away, now breaking our eye contact.

"Something is eating at you. Something that's bigger than you. I know it. I can sense it. And it's killing you."

"No." I whisper while shaking my head.

"I'm looking at you right now. It's hurting you."

"You're wrong, Clark." I crane my neck. "Nothing and no one is eating at me. The only thing that's bigger than me is the world. And it's not hurting me. It's not killing me. I meant it when I said I was okay." I nod as I look him in the eyes. "I'm okay." I walk past him as a wave of nausea comes over me.